Direct Democratic Choice The Swiss Experience
Direct Democratic Choice The Swiss Experience by Hanspeter Kriesi, published by Rowman & Littlefield in January 2008, offers an in-depth analysis of how citizens make decisions in direct-democratic votes. This new edition spans 278 pages and is presented in English. The book examines nearly two decades of post-election surveys from Switzerland, contextualizing the findings within various political issues and the arguments put forth by political elites.
Readers will find that Kriesi’s research highlights the competence of citizens participating in direct-democratic votes, showing that most voters base their decisions on a thoughtful consideration of the advantages and disadvantages of the options presented. The book also addresses the behavior of less engaged citizens, who may either abstain from voting or rely on heuristic shortcuts to make reasonable choices. Through this empirical study, Kriesi advocates for an optimistic perspective on direct-democratic decision-making while suggesting that improvements can be made through effective institutional design and strategic actions by political leaders.
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Direct Democratic Choice sets out to understand how the citizens actually decide in direct-democratic votes. Author Hanspeter Kriesi has analyzed nearly twenty years of post-election surveys in Switzerland (1981-1999), which he has contextualized according to the various political issues and the relevant arguments provided by the political elites. This book’s core argument is that the citizens who participate in direct-democratic votes make competent choices. Kriesi’s extensive empirical research shows that the majority of these voters arrive at their decisions on the basis of arguments about the advantages and disadvantages of the available options. The less competent and less interested citizens either do not vote or, if they do, employ heuristic shortcuts allowing them to make approximately reasonable decisions. Kriesi provides strong support for an optimistic view of direct-democratic decision-making but also indicates that this process, wherever it occurs, can be improved by proper institutional design and by appropriate strategies enacted by the political elite.
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